~ WARNING ~

The content in this chapter is slightly more mature than it has been in my other chapters. While I do maintain a mature rating on this story I thought I would warn everyone. If you'd rather not read the smutty imaginings of my mind…you should proceed with caution. Actually, you could just skip the section below in italics and you'd be safe.

It was still relatively early on Saturday morning considering that she and Harry had just finished coaching their final Quidditch practice before the winter holidays. They wouldn't have another match until next term but neither wanted their team to get rusty over the long break. As she watched steam rising off the hot water in her bath, Ginny thought quietly over their practice and the disappointed look on Harry's face when she headed back to the castle without him. She was still upset about the previous evening. She tapped one of the spouts with her wand and a stream of frothy white bubbles poured out; mixing with the water they released a light floral scent. Ginny hung her robe on a hook and eased herself into the hot, sudsy water. A sigh escaped her lips as the heat worked its magic on her Quidditch worn muscles.

Their last day of classes this term would be on Wednesday. The wedding was on Saturday and Christmas was the following Monday. Ginny couldn't believe that in just one week she and Harry were getting married and she would be Mrs. Potter; she couldn't wait. Despite having full schedules, the past three weeks had been torturously slow. Thanks to her interference, Harry had more time to slow down and spend with her, and thus, ample opportunities for further temptation. While they had promised to wait until their wedding night, the last several weeks proved to be testing their resistance.

As she soaked in the hot water, she closed her eyes and thought back to the previous evening when they'd snuck off to the Astronomy Tower. They'd thought that if they fooled around somewhere more publically accessible than their dorm rooms, not to mention colder, they'd manage to be better behaved; she knew they hadn't really succeeded though. The only thing last night's rendezvous seemed to produce was her current irritation with Harry.

By the hand, Harry led her up the stairs into the tower. She shivered as the cold air hit them and he pulled her into his arms. "I'll warm you up," he growled as his lips made contact with the sensitive skin below her ear and her hands slid under his shirt to trace the layer of muscle he'd acquired in the last several months of Auror training. She loved running her hands over his toned flesh and feeling the muscles quivering beneath. His hands moved to her throat and began unbuttoning her shirt as his mouth worked its way across her collar bone and down toward her cleavage. Her breath hitched as his mouth drew dangerously close to the swell of her left breast above the cup of her bra. Internally, her mind battled with whether to make him stop or beg him to take her here and now. She let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding when his mouth lost contact with her skin. When she opened her eyes, he was smirking at her. "What?" she asked, slightly irritated by the loss of contact. "I like knowing I have that effect on you," he teased. In retaliation, she trailed her hand against the front of his trousers, pressing against the hard length within; he sucked in sharply at the contact and with a smirk of her own, she replied, "Me too." His mouth connected with hers as he backed her toward the lone desk in the tower. He positioned her on the edge before settling into the space between her thighs and pressing himself intimately against her. His hands moved to the bare skin of her thighs above her knee socks and etched random patterns with his fingertips as his hands slowly moved higher under her skirt. Her hands froze on his chest as he continued to kiss her and his hands continued their journey upward. When the pointer finger of Harry's right hand brushed against her knickers, three things happened simultaneously; Ginny's lips separated from Harry's with an audible smack as she gasped and ripples of pure lust and anticipation flooded through her body. Spurred on by her hormones, Ginny crushed her lips back to Harry's as she held his hand firmly in place. Harry's finger traced over the lacy detail of her knickers before retreating. He pulled back and huskily said, "One more week, we can wait one more week." Ginny nodded as she turned away to re-button her shirt. Harry grasped her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. He said, "It's not that I don't want to…this isn't me rejecting you…we promised to wait and we're so close." Ginny nodded to show him that she understood though she wanted to cry in frustration. She was tired of waiting.

"Ginny?" Hermione's voice called through the bathroom door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Ginny called back, shaking the thoughts of last night out of her head.

Hermione stepped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. "Ginny, I…," Hermione looked at her oddly before asking, "Ginny, are you okay?"

"Why?" Ginny asked.

"You're all flushed," Hermione said.

"It IS a hot bath," Ginny said as she gestured to the water around her.

"No, it's more than that," Hermione said.

"Just thinking," Ginny protested.

"Thinking about what exactly?" Hermione asked with a grin.

"My wedding is a week from today, what do you think I'm thinking about?" Ginny asked sarcastically.

Hermione chuckled a little before saying, "Finally getting to shag Harry?"

Ginny's eyes widened at Hermione's choice of words before replying, "Is it that obvious?"

"Lucky guess," Hermione said with a grin and continued, "Wanna talk about it?"

"It's just getting harder and harder to wait the closer to the wedding we get," Ginny explained.

"Just one more week," Hermione said. "You can make it."

"I know," Ginny said. "It's just hard not to take it personally when we're trying something new and suddenly he pulls away."

"One more week," Hermione repeated.

Ginny sighed dramatically as she let her body go limp and sink under the water. When she resurfaced a minute later, Hermione asked, "Better?"

"Sure," Ginny agreed.

"You know," Hermione said. "A normal bride would be worrying about her dress or flowers or the seating chart; not why the groom won't shag her before the wedding."

"What happened to you being so against that word?" Ginny asked. "It's unnerving to hear it come out of your mouth."

Hermione shrugged and said, "Your brother has finally succeeded in corrupting me, I guess."

"I'll say," Ginny said with a snort, thinking of the other ways Ron had corrupted Hermione.

Ignoring her, Hermione plowed on, "Are you worried about the wedding at all?"

"No, my Mom and Fleur have it all under control. We planned all of it before we came back to school anyway," Ginny said. "I would marry Harry in my bathrobe out in the backyard. I just want to be married to him."

Hermione smiled softly and said, "I know."

"Did you want something?" Ginny asked.

"Oh yes," Hermione said, remembering why she had come into the bathroom in the first place. "You have plans this evening at seven, okay?"

"What am I doing tonight at seven?" Ginny asked suspiciously.

"It's a surprise, but wear a dress," Hermione said. "I'll meet you in our dorm ten minutes before seven."

"Am I going to like this surprise?" Ginny asked.

"I hope so," Hermione replied.

Ginny quickly finished her bath while trying not to let her mind wander back to last night again. When she returned to her bedroom wrapped in her robe and with her wet hair trailing down her back; it was to find Harry sprawled across her bed waiting for her.

"I thought maybe you'd drowned in there," he said lightly, looking up as she came into the room.

"Nope, just taking my time," Ginny replied as she rummaged in her dresser for fresh clothing.

"Don't be mad at me," Harry whispered as he stood up and pulled her toward him.

"Who says I'm mad?" Ginny replied in a falsely bright tone.

"The way you chucked that quaffle at me during practice kind of clued me in," Harry explained.

"It didn't hit you," Ginny said defensively but with a regretful look on her face.

Harry chuckled and said, "As much as I love your temper, its damn inconvenient sometimes. I know you're upset with me for stopping last night. I didn't want to stop. I just don't want us to regret not making it for one last week."

"I'm so tired of waiting," Ginny whined.

"I know," Harry agreed as he eyed the way her robe was starting to gap at the top. "I am too. You think I'm not thinking about tugging the belt of your robe so it falls open and I can see you naked? Because I am…"

"Then when you had me naked, what would you do?" Ginny urged him on, biting her lower lip.

Harry's eyes glazed a bit before he shook his head and said, "It is good thing we didn't opt for a summer wedding. There is no way in hell we would have lasted."

Ginny laughed and said, "I'm sorry Harry. I know that you stopping says more about your self-control than how desirable I am; but I tend to lose sight of that in the heat of the moment."

"Gin, don't ever think it is because you're not desirable. You have no idea how much I want you," Harry said, "In fact…I need to leave the room so you can get dressed because right now nothing is more tempting than you in that flimsy robe."

They spent the rest of the day together; doing homework, packing for the upcoming trip home and relaxing. After dinner together, they returned to their dorms; before reluctantly going into her bedroom to change, Ginny asked, "Do you know what Hermione has planned for me tonight?"

"Yes," Harry confirmed. "But I'm on strict orders not to tell you."

"Will I like it?" Ginny asked.

Harry thought for a moment before saying, "I'm really not sure."

Ginny rolled her eyes at him before retreating to her room to change into a dress. Once in the dress, Ginny supposed she could do something with her hair and put on a little make up. At ten minutes to seven, she opened her door to reveal Hermione waiting for her.

"I was just about to knock," Hermione said. "You look nice."

"Thanks," Ginny said. "Now, what am I all dressed up for?"

"You'll see," Hermione said as she pulled Ginny toward the door.

Finally they reached the Great Hall and, as Hermione directed Ginny through the door ahead of her, a chorus of voices shouted, "Surprise!"

Ginny entered the Hall and saw a fairly large group of girls and women up near the front of the room. There were lots of red and white decorations and huge pile of presents. "What is all this?" Ginny asked as she spotted her Mum and Fleur waving at her from near the mountain of gifts.

"We're throwing you a bridal shower," Luna answered from Ginny's right.

Ginny blinked in surprise. She hadn't expected this. Part of her detested the whole girly tradition of bridal showers but a bigger part of her was pleased and amazed that her friends would do something this sweet. Hermione pinned a corsage to her dress, then pulled her toward the front of the group and settled her into a chair facing everyone. Seated on her left was her Mum, and on her right, Fleur. Ginny wasn't even sure what sort of things went on at bridal showers.

Hermione asked everyone to take a seat. Once she had the room's attention, she said, "We're going to start out with a few games. This first game is just for Ginny. We want to see just how well she knows her husband-to-be. Ginny, in my hand is a list of questions that I have already asked Harry. For every question you get right, you get a point and for every question you get wrong, you lose a point. At the end of the game, you have to have a positive number of points or else…"

"Or else what?" Ginny asked.

"You'll just have to hope that you have a positive number of points," Hermione said.

"Fine," Ginny grumbled, not sure she liked where this was headed.

"Number one," Hermione said. "What color are Harry's eyes?"

"Green," Ginny said.

"Correct, question two, what is Harry's favorite color?"

"Red," Ginny said.

"Correct," Hermione said again. "Question three, how old was Harry when he found out he was a wizard?"

"Eleven," Ginny said confidently.

"Correct, question four, when did you and Harry first meet?"

"At King's Cross when he boarded the train for his first year," Ginny said.

"Wrong," Hermione said. "While you first saw Harry at King's Cross when he boarded the train for his first year, you weren't properly introduced until the summer before his second year when he came to stay at the Burrow."

"Shoot," Ginny muttered.

"Question five, when was your's and Harry's first kiss?"

"His sixth year, in the Gryffindor common room after the Quidditch final," Ginny said, blushing slightly, as a few in the group cat called and whistled.

"Correct, question six, what place feels more like home to Harry than any other?"

"Hogwarts," Ginny said.

"Correct," Hermione said. "Question seven, when did Harry first tell you that he loved you?"

"Late at night in the backyard after Fred's funeral," Ginny said quietly.

"Correct," Hermione said. "Question eight, when Harry came back from his first Auror mission, what did he bring you?"

"A necklace from Greece," Ginny said.

"Correct," Hermione said. "Question nine, what was Harry's first owl named?"

"Hedwig," Ginny replied.

"Correct, question ten, what does Harry want more than anything?"

"A family," Ginny said.

"Correct," Hermione said. "You got nine correct and just one wrong; very good."

"Well, they weren't very hard questions," Ginny muttered.

"Of course they weren't hard for you," her Mum whispered. "But I didn't know half of those things. I think the game was more of a fun way for people to learn some things about you and Harry."

"Our next game is for all of you," Hermione announced. You are going to get into groups and write a short poem about Ginny and Harry. When the time is up, I'll read all the poems and Ginny can pick the one she likes the best and that group will win a prize."

"Poems?" Ginny muttered.

"Oh, just you wait," her Mum said. "Some people can come up with some really good ones."

People quickly split into groups and got to work. During the fifteen minutes that Hermione had allotted, Ginny talked about wedding details with her Mum and Fleur and wondered what Harry and Ron were doing back in their dorms. It was probably more fun than this. Finally the time was up and Hermione collected the poems. She moved back toward the front of the group to read the poems.

"Here's the first," Hermione said:

There once was a witch named Ginny

Whose heart belonged to dear Harry

Her red hair and temper bewitched him

And soon they are going to marry

The poem got a smattering of applause. Hermione's eyes twinkled as she read the next:

Harry and Ginny are getting married

They are so sappy and corny

Holding hands and snogging lots

But really I think they're just horny

"Oh my," Mrs. Weasley said but Ginny just chuckled, the poets had no idea how close to the truth they were.

Harry and Ginny sittin' in a tree

K-I-S-S-I-N-G

First comes love

Then comes marriage

Then comes Ginny with a baby carriage

"Nice try," Hermione said regarding the poem she'd just finished reading, "but this is a well known muggle rhyme." She glanced down at the next poem and blushed brilliantly. "I can't read this," she hissed. Luna stepped up, grabbed the paper and read:

Frog spawn is green

Fairy dust's white

After their wedding

Harry and Ginny are gonna shag all nite

A guffaw of laughter that was clearly masculine sounded from behind Ginny's chair. She quickly turned and reached out for Harry's invisibility cloak that she knew had to be there. She found the cloak and whipped it off of Harry's head with a grin. Ginny gasped when Ron was exposed as well. Despite fierce protests from Hermione, everyone convinced her to let them stay as long as they behaved themselves and didn't ruin anymore poems. She reluctantly agreed and waved to Luna to read the next poem.

"There is one poem left," Luna said and she read:

Harry and Ginny were meant to be

Anyone should clearly see

Their first kiss,

It was pure bliss

They'll be together for eternity.

"Now, Ginny, and Harry too, I suppose, will choose which poem they liked best and that group will win a prize," Hermione announced.

Ginny and Harry huddled together off to one side with the poems and reread them, trying to decide which should win. Truth be told, they enjoyed the humorous poems the most but thought picking one of them to win would embarrass and scandalize Molly.

"Since the humorous ones might kill your Mum, let's not pick the frog spawn one," Harry said. "The last one was my next favorite."

"Mine too," Ginny agreed.

Hermione announced the final poem as the winner and awarded prizes to Lavendar, Pavarti, Padma and Pansy.

Turning back to Harry and Ginny, Hermione said, "I'm going to have to insist that Harry and Ron leave now."

"But why?" Ginny said. "Who cares if they stay?"

"I do," Hermione said. "And based on the content of several of these gifts, I'd think you would too."

"Why?" Ginny said. "What's in them?"

"Don't you know?" Hermione asked.

"No, I usually make it a point to steer clear of these sorts of events," Ginny whispered.

Hermione leaned her mouth close to Ginny's ear before whispering, "Lingerie, that is what inside a fair few of these gifts, I'd guess."

Ginny's mouth fell open in surprise before asking, "Like fancy knickers and stuff?"

"Yes and nighties that you can wear for Harry on your honeymoon," Hermione explained.

"Harry," Ginny said weakly. "You'd better go."

"But why?" Harry protested. A moment later, Hermione was quietly explaining something to Harry and Ron. When she'd finished, they turned bright red and made no further protests.

Once they'd gone, Hermione started handing her gifts to open. Most of the gifts were useful things she and Harry could use when they had their own house like dishes, pots, pans, towels, pillows, rugs and various other household necessities. But there were also gifts of the sort Hermione had mentioned. The first that Ginny opened was a slim box that had Hermione's name on the card. Ginny wondered what lovely item Hermione had given her for their home and was taken by surprise when from the box she pulled a long lavender satin nightgown. It was beautiful but Ginny still blushed imagining wearing it for Harry on their honeymoon. Her mother had given her a hand written book with spells and recipes that had been handed down through her family. Luna gave her a necklace made of odd looking bluish seashells. She claimed that if worn during a full moon it would promote fertility and help the wearer to conceive a child. Ginny vowed to herself to tuck Luna's gift far away, she was nowhere near ready to have a baby. Ginny was also taken off guard by Fleur's gift. When Ginny pulled the lacy, transparent nightie from the wrappings, Fleur proclaimed, "I have one similar to this and it is Bill's favorite." She and Hermione exchanged a quick horrified glance with one another over this piece of information. When all the gifts had been opened and Ginny possessed more racy nightgowns than she thought she'd ever manage to wear, she stood in front of her friends and prepared to thank them.

"Thank you all for coming and thank you for all the nice gifts. I'm sure Harry and I will get a lot of use out of all of them. I can't believe that the wedding is just a week from today. We appreciate all your love and support and hope to see all of you at the wedding," Ginny said.

Everyone applauded and Hermione announced that she would be serving dessert in just a minute. Ginny hugged Hermione and said, "Thank you. I never would have guessed I'd enjoy a bridal shower, but this was really nice."

"You're welcome," Hermione said. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

During the next hour, Ginny enjoyed dessert while visiting with all the guests who had come to her shower. By the time the last guests had left the Great Hall, Ginny was feeling amazed and overwhelmed by the lovely and supportive things everyone had said to her. Ginny's gifts were packed into two trunks which Molly and Fleur were going to take back to the Burrow with them. As Hermione, Luna, and Ginny escorted them up to the fire in Headmistress McGongall's office, they chatted.

"Thanks for coming, Mum," Ginny said.

"Ginevra, you are my only daughter. I wouldn't have missed your bridal shower for anything," Molly said. Her eyes grew a little misty and she continued, "I can't believe you will be a wife in one week's time, how did you grow up so fast?"

"I don't know, Mum," Ginny said.

"I just realized that Ron is probably the only one of my children who will be living at home this summer," Molly said.

Hermione shot Molly a look over Ginny's shoulder; Ginny didn't yet know about the arrangements Harry had been making. Ginny wondered momentarily at the comment. She'd assumed that she and Harry would move back to the Burrow when the school year ended, at least until they rented an apartment of their own.

"I mean, my only child who isn't married," Molly amended, "I can't very well boss you and Harry around after you're married, can I."

"If we're living under your roof, you can boss us around, it's the least we can do," Ginny offered.

After seeing Molly and Fleur off, Hermione and Ginny returned to their dorm room where they found Harry and Ron playing wizard's chess while they waited for them.

"I can't believe you two crashed the shower," Hermione scolded.

Ginny just grinned as Ron said, "It was worth it to hear some of those poems. Who knew so many girls at Hogwarts have their mind in the gutters."

"I was shocked," Hermione said.

"Really," Ginny teased, "This from the girl who used the word shag, twice in my presence today."

Hermione blushed brilliantly as Ron raised his eyebrows at her and asked, "Really, after all those times you scolded me for using such foul language."

Harry wrapped Ginny in his arms and asked, "Is what Hermione said true? Did some of those gifts contain sexy nightgowns and stuff?"

Ginny nodded and said, "Why? Does that excite you?"

"Maybe, a bit," Harry said.

Judging by the hardness she could feel grazing her lower abdomen, she guessed it was more than just a bit but she played along saying, "Well then, I can wear a different nightie every day for nearly a month if you want me to."

Harry made sort of a groaning noise of assent in the back of his throat as his lips found hers.

Author's Note: Hi all, thanks for reading. So, this is the first of the chapters dealing with the wedding. I'm unsure how many there will be exactly, I will play it by ear. As always, suggestions are welcome and encouraged. If there is some wedding tradition you would like me to include, let me know and perhaps I can oblige.

Thank you to Terra Ferme who is amazing and betaed/edited this chapter for me! You are awesome and always impress me with how quickly you get back to me. Thank you!!

These poems are pretty lame – I am not so good at poetry. I did go to a bridal shower once where they did this and the poems there were on the same level, so at least it is honest.

As I work closer to the wedding, we also grow closer to the wedding night. I know that my story has a mature rating, but for the most part my more mature scenes are pretty tame, at least in my opinion. I am interested in knowing how people want me to cover the wedding night. I definitely intend to write it but wonder if people want me to live up to my mature rating or downplay it and gloss over much of it. I am torn which is why I'm asking for the opinion of my readers. In many ways, this story is as much yours as it is mine and I don't want to disappoint so make your opinion known. Majority rules.

Thanks again for reading!!

Best,

Tinkerbell